Rookie QB Jaxson Dart impressing Giants with leadership, composure, and ‘aura'

The Giants traded back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft to take Jaxson Dart, who they think will be the franchise's quarterback of the future, even if they still aren't ready to make him Big Blue's QB of the present.

But while veteran Russell Wilsonappears all but entrenched as the starter, after two preseason games, the talk about the rookie out of Ole Miss continues to take the shape that this is more a matter of when and not if Dart gets the job.

I think Jaxson's been really good with the opportunities he's had in terms of the run game, the pass game, obviously having some production downfield," offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said Monday.

After watching the tape of Saturday night's 31-1 win over the Jets, head coach Brian Daboll said it confirmed what he thought watching it live, that both Dart and Wilson had pretty good" games. When asked what stood out from the rookie's game, the head coach said his command of the operation."

He sees things well," Daboll said on Sunday. He plays fast in the pocket, ability to throw the ball with different arm angles, his anticipation, doesn't hold on to the ball, has an opportunity to make some plays with his legs. The one he just got tripped on would've been a huge one."

After the game, Dart said that the play when defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan got him by a shoestring is going to haunt me for a little bit." The head coach said that is a response he wants to hear.

That's what you want out of your quarterback," Daboll said. It's never going to be good enough. Be hard on yourself, demand it from yourself. That's the mindset that I appreciate about him."

There are limits to how much can be taken away from Dart's play with the Giants' reserve units and against other teams' reserve units, as Wilson has taken the first-team reps during camp so far. But something that will translate is the side of the game that takes place solely between a QB's ears.

I think he's just really starting to put together some of the stuff on the offense in terms of just the plays, understanding what we're trying to do on offense," Kafka said. He's done a great job with the leadership part of that and making sure that guys are in the right spot."

Fellow rookie Marcus Mbow said Dart is confident in the huddle," and takes command" of the offense, especially when they went up-tempo.

I know there's a lot going on back there for the quarterbacks and whatnot," the fifth-round pick continued. I feel like he's done a great job of staying cool, staying composed, and leading the offense when he does."

Mbow added: He gets everybody where they're supposed to be, and he gets the job done."

Jermaine Eluemunor, entering his ninth NFL season, said that in watching Dart play in college, he detected a certain aura" about the quarterback.

I don't really watch college football like that, but I was kind of intrigued by Dart when he was at Ole Miss. I wanted to see what he could do," Eluemunor said Monday. The games I did see him play, it was just phenomenal reps."

The veteran offensive lineman said watching Dart take some licks after running is the type of thing that gets linemen hyped up."

You build off that when you see your quarterback running downfield and taking a hit and getting back up and acting like it wasn't really anything when you know he probably felt it," Eluemunor continued.

From watching him throughout the offseason, the veteran has seen the progress Dart has made and seen him "fairly quickly" catch up to the speed of the game."

"I think he's going to be really good for this team, and just the progress he's made throughout the offseason and from OTAs to minicamp to training camp, you can see his progression," Eluemunor said. "...Some of the throws he makes, you're just like, 'Damn. This is going to be a good kid.'"